The Patrick Madrid Show How Can I Defend the Teaching of Mary's Perpetual Virginity? (Special Podcast Highlight)
A caller named Marianne asked Patrick Madrid how to explain to her evangelical son-in-law that Mary remained a virgin her whole life, especially since he believes the Bible says Jesus had brothers in the literal sense.
The Teaching in a Nutshell
Catholic dogma says Mary was a virgin before the conception of Jesus, during His birth, and after His birth for the rest of her life. Jesus was her only child. This belief isn’t just Catholic tradition; Patrick argues it’s what the Bible itself supports when understood correctly.
The ‘Brothers of Jesus’ Problem
Many Protestants point to verses like:
Matthew 13:55 - “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?”
Mark 6:3 - Similar listing of “brothers” of the Lord.
Patrick explains:
In the Bible, “brother” (adelphos in Greek) has a wide range of meanings. It can mean biological brother, but also cousin, nephew, or even close family friend.
Example: In Genesis 14:14, Lot is called Abraham’s “brother”, but we know from other passages that Lot was actually Abraham’s nephew.
The Famous “Until” Verse
Critics love to quote Matthew 1:25: “[Joseph] had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son.”
-Some assume “until” means they started relations afterward.
-But in biblical usage, “until” (heōs in Greek) does not mean a change afterward.
-Patrick’s analogy: “Grandma didn’t take her medicine until she died.” That doesn’t mean she took it after!
The ‘Firstborn’ Title
Luke 2:7 calls Jesus Mary’s “firstborn.” Skeptics think that means there must have been a “second-born.”
Not so! In Jewish law, firstborn is a legal term for the child who opens the womb, whether or not more children follow.
Even an only child is still the “firstborn” in biblical and legal language.
A Cross-Shaped Clue
At the crucifixion (John 19:26-27), Jesus entrusted His mother to John, not to one of His “brothers.”
If Mary had other biological sons, this would have been unthinkable in Jewish culture; her care would automatically go to them.
The fact that Jesus chose John is silent but strong proof that Mary had no other children.
The Early Church’s United Voice
From the very beginning, Christians, including those who personally knew the Apostles, unanimously affirmed Mary’s perpetual virginity.
No significant leader questioned it until the mid-4th century, when a man named Helvidius claimed otherwise.
St. Jerome, a brilliant Scripture scholar and translator, wrote an entire work Against Helvidius, dismantling every argument point-by-point.
Even Luther & Calvin Agreed
Here’s a surprise for many Protestants:
Martin Luther and John Calvin, the founders of the Reformation and fierce opponents of Catholicism, both affirmed Mary’s perpetual virginity.
They didn’t accept it because the Catholic Church said so; they accepted it because the biblical and historical evidence for it was airtight.
Why the Disagreement Today?
Patrick brings up that many modern Christians reject this teaching for one simple reason:
“If the Catholic Church teaches it, it must be wrong.”
They then go hunting for Bible verses that seem to contradict it. But none of those verses, when understood in context, actually prove Mary had other children.
Mary’s perpetual virginity isn’t an “extra Catholic add-on.” It’s rooted in Scripture, confirmed by history, defended by the early Church Fathers, and even upheld by the first Protestant Reformers.
For anyone truly willing to look at the evidence, and not just react against Catholicism, the case is clear: Mary was, is, and always will be the Virgin Mother of Jesus.